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This is my current imaging system:

  • Mount: Losmandy GM-8 (on an iron pier)
  • Optics: Takahashi FSQ 106 mm f/5
  • Camera: QHY9 8 MP cooled astronomical camera
  • Starlight Xpress motorised USB Filter Wheel (7 positions)
  • Focus: RoboFocus precision remote focusing system
  • Guiding: QHY6 CCD camera and 50 mm f/3.4 guidescope (172 mm)

The whole setup is protected by a wooden roll-off shed. You can see how it works and how I built it here.

All the equipment is connected -in some cases through serial to USB 2.0 converters- to a USB Hub, which in turn is connected to a USB 2.0 port on my laptop computer. The GM-8 and QHY9 are each connected to 12V power sources.

With MaxIm DL I focus, autoguide, capture and control the mount (t is an excellent program for astrophotgraphy).

For image processing I use MaxIm, Images Plus and Photoshop CS5.

 

  
 
 
 

 

QHY-6 CCD camera used for autoguiding

 

Autoguiding system: QHY-6 CCD camera and 60 mm f/3.8 guidescope

  

 

RoboFocus step motor mounted on the telescope's focusing shaft

 

  

 

RoboFocus control box


 

 

This is my old modified Canon 350D with Hutech IDAS-LPS 2 front filter inserted

  
     
 
My Observatory after a small -and unfrequent- snow storm in Las Rozas

Below you can see a sequence of the roll-off shed. It works basically well, although It would have been better if I had made it slightly larger.
 
 
And here is how the foundations and the iron pier were put in place.
 
 
   
 


This is the Control Room from where I monitor the imaging session. I capture the images on the small 14" laptop on the right which are then transferred for processing to the computer on the left via the wireless network . The cable you can see on the right is attached to a USB port on the laptop and on the other end it is connected to a USB hub which is located on the mount -about 6 meters away in my garden. The 19" monitor is calibrated with EyeOne about once a month to insure proper luminance, contrast and color correction for image processing.

 

© 2008 Miguel Merino      info@mmerino.com